Nabiximols (Sativex®), an oral spray currently available in the UK, Canada and several European countries to treat spasticity and neuropathic pain that can accompany multiple sclerosis, combines THC with another chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol . And the research landscape is almost as complicated as the medicine itself so far. Some studies show that marijuana can provide relief to patients with a variety of conditions, such as anxiety, chronic pain and even cancer. Others, however, find that the drug can slow cognitive function and worsen some mental illness. Currently, the only CBD product approved by the Food and Drug Administration is a prescription oil called Epidiolex. While CBD is being studied as a treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and anxiety, research into the benefits of the drug is still limited.
But a 2012 study found that short-term marijuana use can help with those physical symptoms. Researchers at the University of California’s Medicinal Cannabis Research Center, San Diego, studied the effects of inhaled cannabis on pain levels and spasticity monitoring. Thirty participants smoked marijuana once a day for three days, noting that their spasticity and pain levels decreased more than those taking a placebo. While a handful of studies have shown that marijuana is a potential treatment for pain and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, not all clinical studies have an advantage. CBD oil can help relieve stress, anxiety, seizures, drug withdrawal and nervous pain.
The researchers based anxiety levels on measures such as blood pressure and heart rate. They also used a fairly reliable mood test, the Visual Analog Mood Scale . In 2005, Canada approved the use of Sativex, an oromucosal aerosol with equal proportions of THC and CBD, to treat central neuropathic pain related to multiple sclerosis. In 2007, Canada again approved the use of the cancer pain medication that was found not to respond to other drugs. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease that causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to deteriorate, resulting in a loss of muscle control that worsens over time. It is not yet fully understood why ALS occurs, although in some cases it can occur in families.
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD oil can also help prevent heart-related diseases. Cannabidiol is a natural cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. It is one of more than a hundred cannabinoids identified in hemp plants.
Also, smoking marijuana appears to reduce blood flow to the nerve, transferring visual information from the eye to the brain. It is not known so far whether marijuana can improve vision in people with glaucoma. And another clinical study conducted in the UK in 2013 showed that oral THC, while unsafe, did not slow disease progression.
It looks promising for chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and cancer patients. But it also seems to pose a significant risk of breathing problems when smoked, schizophrenia and psychosis, car accidents, lagging social performance in life and perhaps pregnancy-related problems. For patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, it can be difficult to find an effective treatment to control muscle spasms. Cannabis can help relieve pain and reduce your intake of prescription buy weed online Canada medications that can have a long list of side effects. Studies on dronabinol and nabilon to treat nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy were mainly conducted in the 1980s and 1990s and reflect the types of chemotherapy treatments and the options for nausea therapy available at the time. In the meantime, if you are interested in the potential benefits of marijuana for your own health, it is important to contact a doctor first.
Igor Grant, MD, director of the University of California’s Medicinal Cannabis Research Center, San Diego, He says the National Academies report agreed with his group’s longstanding conclusions about the usefulness of cannabis in pain management, special neuropathic pain. “I don’t think it’s known how long the therapeutic effect is,” he says. So far, Dr. Grant says studies have suggested that low-dose cannabis is a relatively safe pain treatment and provides relief similar to the relief of some commonly used drugs, such as anticonvulsants lamotrigine, although not as much relief as some antidepressants. German and Israeli studies concluded that the drug was safe and effective in older populations seeking relief from pain or cancer-related symptoms. Marijuana can be a positive alternative for the elderly seeking relief, although not all medical conditions respond as drastically to treatment as others.